A fond farewell in the Devil's Kitchen

[johnkaysleftleg]

Following our soaking on Snowdon walking wasn’t really an option on Friday as we had no dry kit. This was a good job as a puncture saw us stranded in Bala temporarily. Once on the road again we had a drive down to Aberdovey and spent a bit of time on the beach.

Beach at Aberdovey

Saturday was our travelling day to the Lakes but given it was a fine forecast we decided we couldn’t leave Snowdonia without one last wander.

View from the cottage garden

Sunset from cottage garden

Sunset over Foel Goch

Having not yet visited the Ogwen Valley we decided to walk up through the Devils Kitchen to Llyn y cwn.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The walk starts on a fine path giving views up to the awesome tryfan before it reaches Llyn Idwal set in the magnificent Cwm Idawl. This is said to be one of the finest hanging valleys in Wales and it’s easy to see why. Carrying on around the East of the Llyn the path then makes its way diagonally up the back of the valley. We passed the queuing climbers at the base of the Idwal slabs and pushed onwards on an ever steepening track up to the devils kitchen. The rock architecture is quite simply stunning but there is no real sense of exposure. This is one of those routes that give ordinary walkers a sense of what climbers enjoy.

Y Garn

Reflections in Llyn Idwal

Cwm Idwal

Looking to the back of the cwm

More beautiful views

Tryfan

Climbers on the Idwal slabs

The gradient eases before to long leaving a gentle pull up to the high point of the pass with a stunning view towards Pen yr Ole Wen before dropping down to the tarn. We had lunch following some midge dodging before setting off back the way we came. This is a fantastic walk and a route we’ll revisit in the future while bagging Y Garn and perhaps Glyder Fawr.

Pen yr Ole Wen

Llyn y cwn

Y Garn

We left Wales for the Lakes with some reluctance. Nothing against the Lakes you understand but our taste of Snowdonia left us wanting more. We’ll be back!

[malky_c]

Some lovely photos there . Llyn Idwal is an impressive spot - any walk you do around there is brilliant. Having spent the last 9 months wallowing in the bogs of the less celebrated Welsh hills, this is a reminder for me to visit some of the classic bits next time I'm there.

[ChrisW]

Now this is more like it JK, great to see the weather improve for you and your stunning photos of the result....I can see why you will be returning

[garyhortop]

Great Report JK and some absolutely stunning photo's!!

Also brought back some very fond memories for me as the Idwal slabs was the second climb I ever did as a naive teenager (so - many moons ago!) experiencing my first real mountains in the UK (the first climb was Boch Clwyd Buttress) with my brother and brother in law - Well worth a second visit and reminds me that I really need to get my behind back up there!!

[jaybee]

I have fond memories of this area.
Y Garn is my favourite mountain in Snowdonia; best followed by a descent of Devil's kitchen.
It has everything you need for a good walk and wonderful views across to Tryfan.
Thanks for the reflection photo - beautiful.
Hope to revisit Wales in the autumn and maybe a quick climb will be on the cards.

[SouthernUplandKing]

Cwm Idwal is a truly amazing place. Spent a day down there in May during an Alpine preparation course with PyB in cracking weather and it was perhaps one of the best places i've seen anywhere. We started on the same route as you but went up a long grassy gully and came out just below the Cniefion Arete and then back along, did some abseiling and down climbing practice, then some moving together roped up and another hairy abseil off the climbing routes and back down to the path and out to the car park. Great day out that was !

Equal to anything Scotland has to offer in summer !

[johnkaysleftleg]

Some lovely photos there . Llyn Idwal is an impressive spot - any walk you do around there is brilliant. Having spent the last 9 months wallowing in the bogs of the less celebrated Welsh hills, this is a reminder for me to visit some of the classic bits next time I'm there.

Thanks Malky

I have fond memories of this area.
Y Garn is my favourite mountain in Snowdonia; best followed by a descent of Devil's kitchen.
It has everything you need for a good walk and wonderful views across to Tryfan.
Thanks for the reflection photo - beautiful.
Hope to revisit Wales in the autumn and maybe a quick climb will be on the cards.

It was really hard not to go bag Y Garn but we really didn't have time.

Now this is more like it JK, great to see the weather improve for you and your stunning photos of the result....I can see why you will be returning

Cheers Chris

Great Report JK and some absolutely stunning photo's!!

Also brought back some very fond memories for me as the Idwal slabs was the second climb I ever did as a naive teenager (so - many moons ago!) experiencing my first real mountains in the UK (the first climb was Boch Clwyd Buttress) with my brother and brother in law - Well worth a second visit and reminds me that I really need to get my behind back up there!!

Thanks Gary, I'm no climber but the Idwal slabs did look like good fun.

Cwm Idwal is a truly amazing place. Spent a day down there in May during an Alpine preparation course with PyB in cracking weather and it was perhaps one of the best places i've seen anywhere. We started on the same route as you but went up a long grassy gully and came out just below the Cniefion Arete and then back along, did some abseiling and down climbing practice, then some moving together roped up and another hairy abseil off the climbing routes and back down to the path and out to the car park. Great day out that was !

Equal to anything Scotland has to offer in summer !

Now that sounds like an amazing day out. I'd agree that it's on of the finest places in Britain.